A Detailed Analysis of the Guidance System Development for tREXS

The Rocket for Extended-Source X-ray Spectroscopy (tREXS) is a suborbital rocket payload that is designed to obtain the most highly resolved soft X-ray emission spectrum from the Cygnus Loop to date. This research will discuss the development and implementation of a guidance system that will replace the traditional pointing mechanism for a sub-orbital payload. Normally the pointing requirement for a sub-orbital flight is achieved using a NSROC altitude control system, which uses an ST5000 star tracker co-aligned with the X-ray optic. In tREXS design there is not space to use this star tracker; therefore, a design has been made that utilizes a side looking ST5000 to acquire the target field and an aspect camera for fine pointing. The aspect camera will stream frames of the target star field, that will be processed by the guidance algorithm. The algorithm will relay where to position the payload to target the Cygnus Loop.